Robber trap



E. M. ROCHA April 10, 192s.

ROBBER TRAP Filed May 16. 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN V EN TOR.

H H nn R E I ATTORNEY April 10, 1928. 1 665382 E M. RocHA .Y

ROBBERY T-RAP vFile d May 16. 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 v INVENTOR.

ELM. RUBHH ATTORNEY Patented Apr. "10, 1928. V i

nzEKiEn M. eal, or, 'rtiLARE; CALIFORNIA.

RUBBER TRAP.-

Application filed m 16,

Thisinvention relates to improvements in robber traps and has particular reference toak-trap'for use in banks and like places.

' The principal object of this invention is;

toproivideymeans whereby a robber attempt- ,ingto hold upia bank or other like institutlOiHS' may be deposited through an opening in-thefloor into a receptacle and automati- .cally, locked therein.

- installed in'the ordinary building gwithout ..A. further iob ect whereby a device, of, this. characterimaybe materially altering the construction; of; the

i same; 1

- A still further object is lto provide de-Y f vice of this character which is economical to install and one which is not unsightly.

Other objects and advantages willbe apparent during the course of the following 1 4 is a platform 23 which is normally mainr tained in an elevated position as by a spring.

description. V I y In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Figure 1 is a vertical cross section of my device asthe same would appear installed in front .of a bank window, and

Figure 2 is a vertical cross section of Figurel. I

It often occurs that'robbers willhold up the employees of a bank by appearing at the window assuming a position of an ordinary bank customer. Q

Applicant has therefore provided means whereby the bank employee may {operate a hidden electrical contact with a result that the floor adjacent the window will open and the robber will be deposited into a shootiand thence into a receptacle having a hinged cover which will automatically close, as soon as the robber is deposited-in this receptacle.-

jIn the accompanying drawing wherein A for the purpose of illustration is shown-a preferred embodimentof my invention the numeral 5 designates a trap door positioned in the floor Got a building andpreferably, in front of the customary tellers 'windows which are indicated at 7 and 8. The trap. 5 is hinged as at 9and is normally main tained on the level with the floor 6 by'm'eans "oflatches ll. These latches are electrically operate'das will be later described.

Positioned beneath the floor 6 and surrounding the opening in which the trap is pivoted is a funnelshaped member-12. I This funnel shaped member terminates in a is to;' provide means receptacle.

downwardly extending ,pipe like portion" beneath which is placed'areceptacle 1,4 hav-u matically- 'maintainlthe cover- 16; in closedv position as shown'i'ndotted'lines of Figure '1, except whenreleased from a, point outside" .of. the receptacle 14,]; 1 f

The receptaclegle is maintained in alignment with'the pipe-13 as byavertically moyable ring. 19. The movement of thisming 'is indicated on dotted lines of Figure ,2. A

latch is showngat21, which is pivoted inzsucli a manner as to normally maintain the; cover 16 n the full line position gof Figuref1: magnet is shown at 22, which magnetis adapted to operate the *latchj21 as will be hereinafter describedl I Positioned in the bottom of the receptacle 24. This platform carries a contactf-26 which is connected by a wire :27 toone side Y of the magnet 22. The opposite side ofthis magnet is connected by a wire 28 to a wire 29. which wire is inturn connected tea-batwire 33 connects with a contact 34 posi-1 tioned in the bottom-of the receptacle 1 1,

the result being that when a weight such as a robber being deposited into. the receptacle 14 comes to bear upon the platform 23, the f contacts 26 and 34 will engage each other. This will'immediately cause electric current to flow from the battery 31 through the wire connections to themagnet 22 which will ac-V Jtuate the latch 21 and will cause the cover.

16 to fall to thedotted line position of Fig; ure 1, thus loclringthe robber within the In order to actuate the latch 11, I provide 2 'By now lifting the ringlQ, the entire ceptacle togetherrwiththe' robber deposited":

a contact 36 located on the surfaceof the 7 counter 37. the wiring of'this contact 36'is 3 such that it will operate the latches 11' when pressed. Theteller by raising his knee'mjay operate this ing aware of the factthat he is doing so, At the same time the contact 36- .is also adaptechthrough suitable wiring, to actuate latch 39. These latches serve to maintain a contact without the robber be shield 41 whichtravels in track l2 at a. po-

sition above the top line of the windows 7 and 8. Immediately upon the actuation of the latches 39 this shield 41 will descend, thus further protecting the employee against bodily harm by the robber.

It will thus be seen that by employing my device it is possible for a bank employee to deposit the robber Within a closed receptacle and at the same time to drop a shield in'front of the window thereby protecting himself. 7

It is to be understood that the form of my invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same and that various changes relative to the material, size, shape and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims. 7

Having thus described my invention, I claim j ,1. In a robber trap, a floor having a trap door positioned therein, a funnel shaped member securedto said floor, and surrounding said trap door, a downwardly extending pipe secured to said funnel shaped member, a receptacle positioned beneath said pipe, a vertically movable ring serving to connect said pipe and said receptacle and a hinged cover secured to said receptacle and adapted to be automatically closed after a bodyhas been deposited within said receptacle.

2. In a robber trap, a floor having a trap door positioned therein, a funnel shaped member secured to said floor, and surrounding said trap door, a downwardly extending pipe secured to. said funnel shaped member, a receptacle positioned beneath said pipe, a

vertically movable ring servingto connect 

